Kirigiri Novel Book 7

Chapter 1 Part 4 The last Enemy

The voices of the graduates eventually faded away and could no longer be heard.

At some point, the clouds above had cleared and the sun is shining brightly, but despite this, snowflakes continued to fall all around us. The cold wind caressed Kirigiri's ribbons, and Kirigiri and I are the only two remaining black spots left in the pure white world.

"It's reassuring that the Crime Victims' Relief Committee has been silent since then." Kirigiri said, looking down. "During this period of time, they must be gathering their strength and are probably still plotting some new criminal scheme somewhere right now.

When I think about it... I can't help but feel uneasiness."

It is rare to see Kirigiri expressing such undisguised anxiety like this, probably because the shadow of Shinsen on her is so big.

It's no wonder that her grandfather was killed by Shinsen, in addition to the few lives lost before her eyes. For a middle school student, the reality she had to face was too cruel.

"I'm equally uneasy."

I leaned my body close to Kirigiri and said. The physical contact allowed her body temperature to pass over, and at the same time, I have a feeling that I will be seen through by her at any moment.

"But it's not good to be anxious. They will definitely take advantage of this. Although they appear to be inactive now, maybe they are actually waiting for us to take the bait."

Take the bait—

I thought of the old man with the hat.

Was it a fishing line or a lifeline that he threw out... "That's quite calm for someone like Yui-onēsama."

"What's with the smart mouth." I said half-jokingly. "Not all cases are related to the committee, and there are many other people who also need the help of detectives. Don't we have to do something for these people?"

"Yes, no matter what kind of case we encounter, we must have the ability to solve it, so that we can be recognized as detectives..."

she said sternly.

I hope I never forget that look. And also......

I hope you don't look at me with that look. I'm lost for an answer.

Hey, Kirigiri-chan. What should I do?

If only I can say that out loud.

Will things change?

Her white fingertips brushed along the new ribbon that played with the wind, and in those innocent eyes watching all this, I searched for the answer I should choose.

No, the answer was clear from the start.

She is everything I couldn't save in the first place. And everything I have to save now.

Inadvertently, I glanced at the clock on my phone, noon had passed, and it is almost 1 PM.

"Kirigiri-chan, let's go have lunch."

She nodded slightly and we left the rooftop.

-

In the winter of the year I turned 9, my younger sister Mayu was killed.

I always came home from school with my sister, but we happened to be separated that day. I had to stay after school because I was late in turning in my handwork.

My sister said she was going home with a classmate of hers and left after school. I thought that since it was with a friend, I have nothing to do with it, so I didn't stay with her.